Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-01-28
REVENGE.
BY EUGENE DAEKLEY.

BY EUGENE DAEKLEY.
I'm the years that have fled forever since you
and I first met,
The long years of hopeless passion. the long
years of vain regret,
I had fondly dreamed, oh, Philip that had
mastered quite
That heart THAI rises up once moro
Philip Darkley, reading those verses of
passion and regret, had almost completed
the third verse, vixen voice, proceeding
from out the shadow of big straw hat,
very much pulled down over the eyes, and
appertainiug to Miss Star Lester, COM
nanded him to cease.
STOP" itsaid. care you aware, Philip,
that you have read those same verses to me
not less than dozen times this summer?
Sow"-in a tone half serious half whim-
sical,-"1 am ready to undergo the repeti-
ton Of some love stories" (here the straw
hat lifted enough to allow sweet glance
from two brown eyes to meet Mr.. Darkley's
gray cnes); "but when you read to me the
words of a maiden who sits upon the sands,
and benoans the desertion of a youth
named Phiiip-read it, say, until can
repeat it from memory-I choose to con-
slider it monotonous, if not reflection
upon myself or my possible conduct,
should tho future hold for me a similar
fate"
After which long speech, Miss Lester
iapsed into silence and obscurity again,
and MIR. Darkley, with an expression of
countenance wherein smile and 4 frown
We'd for mastery. made reply: "You don't
mean to say you dislike the poetry, which
can affirm l have not read to you more
than three times, Star, but that you object
to the sentiments the maiden expresses;
and that both sentiment and conduct, us it
is here denoted, is far different from what
yours would be in case should leave YOU
as did her lover"
Exactly SO, quoth Star. "Iou are ex-
cel'ent at Interpretation. If You should
desert me, Phil, do YOU suppose 1 would
come back here on this beach, and moan
and cry? DO you think that, even to nv
self, l would bemoan the man who had
cast Inc from him, or breathe such senti-
ments Of submission and invitation over
land or sea to you? Do you really think I
would, Phil?"
Philip looked far out across the waving
blue OF the sea, and thought steadily for a
long time before he answered her; and, in
the meanwhile, Star watched him closely
from beneath the shelter Of her hat, with
eyes in which the loye-light could not en-
hrely outshine the mischief; for she was a
oorn' coquette, this Star Lester, and loved
dearly to try her power of teasing her big,
jealous lover.
NO, Star; DON'T" Philip answered. at
last. II am afraid you would not care half
as much as could wish. Sometimes, now.
! am afraid you don't love me-"
@Why, PHILIP"
/; The shadowing hat was pushed back in
stantly, disclosing the dark, picturesque
face, the starry eyes and waving hair, as in
straw frame. Tho face was several
shades grayer, in imitation of Mr.. Darkley's
darkened countenance, and Star reached
across, and laid her small brown hand in
his.
Why, Phil?"
At the touch Philips face changed, and
he looked down to meet the reproachful
brown eyes. A moment after, the whole
position OF affairs was changed, Miss Lester
assuming the role Of injured party.
There. forgive mo, Stella: am sus-
picious brute, I know" said Phil, COM
pletely subdued by Stars display of a rosy
mouth very much drawn down at the
corners. and o supicion of tears in the dark
eyes. Big, strong fellow that he was,
tear would floor him ut any time, which
wicked lite Star Lester we'll knew.
After she had been sufficiently persuaded.
she smiled again, and then pursued her
inquiry.
"But why don't you believe I love YOU,
Phil?"
"Oh, you do; know you do, Stella! But
you filrt outrageously at times, you must
confess"
"Well, it is right under your very eyes.
you jealous boy; and what if l do dance
with Charlie Floriner? He knows nv
cousin Floy, and love to talk of her; and
AM sure you are very attentive to Clara
Graham and Alma Bentley"
But" said Phil, with emphasis, 81 don't
look at them from under my eyelashes as
If they were the only ones upon earth; nor
do bestow my bouquet upon them with
smile, as if my heart were IN il; nor"
"Hush!" said Star; "as if you could"
"And," pursued Phil, care you sure all
your flirting is done in the sight of every
one? Don't you do any in private, Starr"
"N-no. of course, not" said my lady,
conscious in her guilty little soul she was
abbing, yet solacing herself with The